Some weeks ago, when I submitted a number of our digital client projects to the European Search Awards for consideration, I fully expected nothing to come of it. We are, after all, just a wee agency in Belfast.
We think we’re doing a pretty fine job for our clients, as evidenced by the results we achieve and the awards we occasionally scoop up. But we also know we’re a small player in Europe, where some truly great digital agencies are doing absolutely magnificent work for a host of global brands.
Almost as an afterthought I also submitted us to the Best Agency category, with an even lower expectation of any sort of recognition.
So when the shortlist for the Search Awards was published and I went through the nominations, I was not particularly disappointed to see our projects missing from the various campaign categories. The agencies and projects that did make those shortlists are, each and every one of them, prime examples of all that is great about this industry.
Imagine my surprise when the very last name in the last category on the shortlist – that for the Best Agency award – was none other than Pierce Communications.
I mean, whoa. The names shortlisted for that award are some of the largest and finest digital agencies operating in Europe today: Latitude, Performics, Branded3, AKM3, and Bluerank. And, yes, my eyes did not deceive me, Pierce Communications.
I rate our changes of actually winning the award as being so close to zero as makes no difference. But that doesn’t matter – just to see our wee Belfast agency listed in such fantastic company on the shortlist already feels pretty damn epic.
We must be doing something right to have sufficiently impressed the rather distinguished panel of judges, for them to place us on the shortlist.
So come early July we’ll be sending a delegation to Amsterdam, sporting our 8-bit ties and keyboard bowties, if only to show Europe that a wee agency in Northern Ireland can be a force to be reckoned with.
And, of course, to show those Europeans how to properly party, Belfast-style. ;)